1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag configured to produce a RFID label with which an external radio communication of information can be performed, and a tape cartridge as well as tag tape for use therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
There has been known a RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system configured to execute read/write of information contactlessly between a small-sized RFID tag and a reader (reading device)/writer (writing device). A RFID circuit element provided in the RFID tag includes an IC circuit part configured to store a predetermined RFID tag information, and an antenna connected to this IC circuit part to transmit and receive information, even in the case where the RFID tag becomes dirty, or in the case where it is disposed in a position out of sight, access (read/write of information) can be conducted from the reader/writer side with respect to the RFID tag information of the IC circuit part, and thus this RFID tag is expected to be in a practical use in various fields such as commodity management, inspection process and the like.
Such a RFID tag is normally formed by the provision of a RFID circuit element on a label-like material, and many these RFID labels are affixed to e.g., target objects, for example, for classifying and arranging a variety of documents and articles. Moreover, in respect of managing these RFID tags, it is very convenient that letter information is printed onto the tag itself as well. Accompanied thereby, conventionally, there has been proposed an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag configured to function both to execute read/write of information with respect to the RFID tag, and to make a print onto the tag (for example, refer to 4 prior arts as described below).
In an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag according to JP, A, 2004-202894, a RFID circuit element (RFID inlet) is mounted in a predetermined position of a tape (delayed tuck sheet), RFID tag information is transmitted and received with respect to this mounted RFID circuit element as well as a predetermined print is made in a predetermined position of the tape, and thereafter the RFID circuit element and the tape are bonded together, thereby producing a RFID label.
In an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag according to JP, A, 10-255441, produced is a RFID label provided with a label main body that is constructed to be laminated of a base tape (polyimide substrate), a print-receiving sheet (coat sheet) to receive a print and the like, and that includes a RFID circuit element (IC); and a separation sheet that is bonded via an adhesive layer to the backside (base tape side) of this label main body, and that is printed with an identification mark (cut inhibiting mark) in a region corresponding to the region in which the RFID circuit element is disposed. With the arrangement, by the provision of an identification mark illustrating a layout region of the RFID circuit element on the separation sheet, when a user cuts an unnecessary portion to use a RFID label, an erroneous cut of the RFID circuit element can be prevented.
In an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag according to JP, A, 2004-333651, when a strip-like tag tape in which RFID circuit elements (RFID tags), each including an IC circuit part and a tag antenna (antenna part) are disposed at regular intervals is fed out from a roll of tape with RFID tag, and fed in a transport path, a predetermined print information is printed on the surface of the label by printing device (thermal head), as well as a predetermined RFID tag information have been created on the apparatus side corresponding to the above-mentioned printed print information is transmitted with respect to the tag antenna of the RFID circuit element provided in the label, and sequentially written in the IC circuit part (IC chip) connected to the antenna. Thereafter, a RFID label tape with print with which the print and write of the RFID tag information has been ended is cut to a predetermined length, and then a RFID label with print will be completed.
In an apparatus for communicating with a RFID tag according to JP, A, 2004-330492, a cartridge provided with a roll (feed spool) wound with a base tape (strip-like tape) in which RFID circuit elements (antenna part and IC chip) are disposed substantially at equal intervals in a tape longitudinal direction is mounted; the above-mentioned tag tape is fed out from the above-mentioned roll of this cartridge to transmit and receive RFID tag information with respect to the RFID circuit element provided in this tag tape, as well as a predetermined print is made with a thermal head (print head) in a predetermined position of a print receiving tape (laminate) fed out from a roll (tape spool) different from the above-mentioned roll provided at the above-mentioned cartridge; and these tag tape and the print-receiving tape printed are bonded together to produce a RFID label with print.
In general, when adjusting the size of a RFID label, a user (operator), while looking at the surface side (printed sheet side) of the RFID label printed, cuts an unnecessary portion so as to balance the RFID label and the print region. Therefore, as is the RFID label of the prior art described in the above-mentioned JP, A, 10-255441, in the case where a cut inhibiting mark is provided on the separation sheet on the opposite side of the printed sheet side (that is, on the backside of the RFID label), a cut operation has to be done while alternately looking at the surface and the backside of the RFID label, resulting in the reduction in convenience.
Furthermore, recently, a RFID tag has been used for various purposes accompanied with enlargement of the use thereof, and a variety of RFID labels based on the application thereof. For example, as is the case where a print and a RFID circuit element are disposed being too far to one side in the longitudinal direction of the RFID label, and the RFID label, when being affixed to an object to be affixed, is made to protrude from the object to be affixed on one side in the label longitudinal direction (that is the portion at which the print and the RFID circuit element are provided), thus intending to easily make a visual recognition and a radio communication, or as is the case where the print and the RFID circuit element are disposed on the opposite sides in the longitudinal direction of the RFID label, when the RFID label is affixed with respect to the one in which a metal fitting is located in the proximity of the face to be affixed such as a back strip of binders, the print is located on the metal fitting side as well as the RFID circuit element is disposed being spaced apart from the metal fitting, and thus the radio communication intends not to be interrupted, there has been a need to produce a RFID label with the print and the layout aspect of a RFID circuit element varied.
However, in the prior art according to the above-mentioned JP, A, 2004-202894, since the layout position of a RFID circuit element and the layout position of a print in a RFID label produced are fixedly determined, in respect of these layout of the RFID circuit element and layout of the print, only the RFID label of a single layout aspect can be produced. As a result, the label of a layout aspect a user (operator) desires cannot be produced, and thus a variety of needs as described above cannot be met.
Whereas, in the prior art according to the above-mentioned JP, A, 2004-330492, there has been preliminarily prepared a plurality of cartridges, for example, with different tape widths of base tapes or different layout intervals of RFID circuit elements, and each of the cartridges is removed and replaced depending on the application, thereby enabling to produce a RFID label with the layout aspect of the RFID circuit element varied.
Here, it is very convenient that not only the layout aspect of a RFID circuit element is varied to produce a RFID label as mentioned above, but also a cartridge provided with a normal base tape with no RFID circuit element and a print-receiving tape can be mounted, and a normal (with print) label can be produced with the same apparatus. In the prior art according to the above-mentioned JP, A, 2004-330492, however, there is no special consideration in that a cartridge provided with the RFID circuit element in the base tape, and a normal cartridge provided with no RFID circuit element are removably replaced with each other, and thus both the RFID label with print (RFID circuit element is present) and the normal printed label (RFID circuit element is absent) can be produced by the same apparatus, as mentioned above.
Moreover, in the prior art according to the above-mentioned JP, A, 2004-330492, a print is not directly made onto a base tape provided with a RFID circuit element, but the print is made onto a print-receiving tape different from the base tape, and thereafter these print-receiving tape printed and base tape are bonded together to produce a RFID label. However, for example, for reasons of making the presence of the RFD circuit element obvious, there are some cases where the RFID circuit element is disposed not on the base tape side but on the print-receiving tape side. In this case, since the layout point of the RFID circuit element in the print-receiving tape will be in concavo-convex shape, there is a possibility that e.g., the fading of a print occurs, and thus a print quality comes to be poor. In addition, when a heat is applied to a layout point of the RFID circuit element by the print head, the soundness of the RFID circuit element may be decreased.
Furthermore, also in the prior art according to the above-mentioned JP, A, 2004-3333651, as with the above-mentioned JP, A, 2004-330492, a print-receiving tape different from a tag tape is printed, and thereafter this print-receiving tape printed and the tag tape are bonded together to produce a RFID label. Therefore, as is described above, in the case where the RFID circuit element is disposed on the print-receiving tape side, the layout point of the RFID circuit element comes to be in concavo-convex shape, thus e.g., the fade of a print occurs and a print quality becomes poor, and as a result, there is a possibility of leading to the reduction of the quality of a RFID label with print.
As mentioned above, in the prior arts as above-mentioned, since there is no consideration so as to make a print based on the presence or absence of the RFID circuit element or the layout of the RFID circuit element, various inconveniences occur, and thus the convenience of a user (operator) will be reduced.